Clutch for type-writer platens.



No. 849,751. PATENTED APR. 9, 1907. W. RUGBR, JB. CLUTCH POR TYPE WRITER PLATEINS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.15. 1905.

UNiTni) sTiiTns PATENT oni-rien.

wiLLiAM linens, Ja., or JANnsviLLir, wisconsin, .issii'inoit To minuiwoon TYPEWRTTER coMPANY, or New Youn, Y., A eoinpmi'rion OF NEW JERSEY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April e, ieo'.

Appiano ned August le, 1905. serial No., 274,260.

To a/ZZ whom t may concern.-

Be it knownv that I, WILLIAM Roeien, Jr., a citizen of the United States, residing in Janesville, in the county oi Rock and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clutches for Type 1Writer Ilatens, 4oli which the following is a specification` This' invention relates `to the revoluble platens. of type-writing machines; and its object is to provide a simple, inexpensive, eticient, `and durable mechanism for releasing the platen at will from the line-space ratchet- Wheel so as to permit the platen to be rotated independently of said Wheel for writing upon ruled lines or at intervals different from the usual line-space intervals.

In carrying out my invention I employ a band clutch or strap which is passed around the platen-axle to i'rictionally engage the same, and I mount upon the line-space wheel a lever for tightening the strap, whereby both line-space wheel and platen are 'forced to rotate together. The lever may be moved so as to release the strap or band, permitting the platen to be turned to any desired point, While the line-space wheel remains'statiopar 5In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1' is ka sectional plan of a portion' of the platen and appurtenances of an Underwood type- Writing machine, showing lmy improvements alpphed thereto, the clutch being shown c osed, so that the platen and line-space wheel must rotate together. Fig. 2 is a view, on a larger scale of details of the clutch inechanism, the clutch being shown closed. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of ,the parts seen at Fig. 2, 'the clutch being shown in full lines as closed and dotted lines as released. Fig. et is a perspective view of the parts seen at Figs; 2 and 3. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the parts seen at Fig. 1.y

The platen 1 is xed upon an axle 2, which is journaled in a boss 3, the latter inounted in a platen-frame, one end or side ot which is seen at4. Upon the eXtreme end of the axle is secured a hand-wheel 5 by means ol a hollow'hub 6- and a set-screw 7. By means el this hand-wheel the plateninay berotated at any time in either direction.

Looseupon the laten-axle is a line-space Wheel 8, having a ub 9. Said wheel is releasably connected to the platen by ineans ol" a band-brake or friction-strap 10, which is `illustrated as endless and as surrounding the axle 2 at a point betweenthe linespace wheel and the hand-wheel 5, so as to frietionally engage said axle, although it will be understood that a larger cylindrical surface or collar may be provided for engagement by the band within the scope ci the invention. The portion of the platen-axle encircled by the band may be regarded as a pulley.

The band is tightened, and therefore caused to grip the axle, by means of a lever 11, which worksyupon a pivot-pin 12, eccentric to the platen-axle, and has a short arni or heel 13 within said band 10. Said arni 13 is eli'ective to draw the band taut when the lever is swung to the full-line position at Figs. 3 and 4, so that in order to release the platen it is only necessary to throw said lever to the dotted-line position at Fig. 3.

in the hub 9 of the ratchet-wheel and at its other end in a collar 14, loose upon the axle 2, but rigidly connected to said hub 9 by means of a pair of' cleats 15, the latter secured by screws 16 or otherwise at its ends to said hub and collar, so that the latter may be regarded as forming a portion oi" the hub of`tlie line-space wheel. It is obvious that a stop 17 may be provided upon the lever to arrest the Isaine when the arm 13 is in the dead-center position, (shown in full lines at Fig. 3,) this being the time when the band is drawn tightest.'

It will be seen that the lever, although revoluble bodily together with the line-space wheel about the platen-axle, niay be readily reached and operated. at any point inthe parts are compact and simple and not liable to get out of order, besides inexpensive to manufacture and readily applicable to existing machines.

Having thus described iny invention, I claimp 1. In a type-writing machine, the combination with a revoluble platen, a line-space wheel and an intervening endless-bami brake', of a lever i'or tightening said bandb'rake, said lever and band-brake being so re 1 lated that when the lever is upon tienda-,enter l the band is taut; and a stop tory arresting the The lever-pin 12 is supported at one end' rotation of the line-space wheel and thatthe i bandtit-hteningl movement of said lever zol when the'latter is about on'dead-center.

2, In a type-uniting machine, lthe conibination with a revoluble platen, 'of a linespace Wheel, a band-pulley connected to one of said elements, an endless brake-band encircling said pulley, and means for tightening and loosening said band; said brake-band, line-space Wheel tightening means being revoluble Witlrsaid platen.

3.- ln a type-vmiting machine, the co1nbi- -nation with a revoluble platen having an axle, of a line-'space wheel loosely mounted 'upon said axle and having' a hub, a lever mounted upon said hub eecentrically to the platen-axle,

said lever, hub and brake-band revoluble with the platen and line-space Wheel..

4. ln a typefvvritin machine, the combination with a revolube platen, a linespace lWheel, and 'an intervening endless-band brake, -a part being encircled by the brakeband to enable the latter'to make a frictional connection between the line-space Wheel and the platen, of a lever for tightening said band-brake, said lever and band-brake being so related that by a movement of the lever te its dead-center position 'the band is tight'- ened; said band-brake and lever revoluble with said platen. y

5. in a type-Writin machine, the combination with a revolubleplaten, a line-space Wheelk and an intervening vendless band brake, of a lever Jfor tightening said bandbrake, Said lever and band-brake being so related that by the movement of the lever to its deadfcenter position the band is tightened,

p and a brake-band engaged by) said lever and encircling said platen-axle;

and a stop for arresting the band-tightening movement of said lever When the latter is about on dead-center said band-brake, lever and stop revoluble with said platen.

ln a type-writing machine, the combination of a platen fixed upon an axle, a,hand, Wheel fixed on the extreme end of the axle to rotate the platen at any time in either direction, a line-space wheel loose upon the axle, and endless-band brake surrounding said axle between the line-space Wheel and the hand-Wheel and frictionally engaging said axle, a lever )ivoted eccentrieally to the platen-axle anc having a short arm Within? and having a short arm within said band to y draw the band taut or release the same, and

means supporting said lever g said supporting means' being directly connected to sa'id line-space wheel, and means Jfor arresting the lever When said short arm is in dead-center position and the band is drawn tighter.

Y WVM. RUGER, JR.

Witnesses t WILLIAM RUGER, N. J. EMERY. 

